Refrigerating apparatus



Jan. 31, 1933. E, |PMAN 1,895,549

REFRIGERATING APPARATUS Filed March 6, 1926 2 Sheets-Sheet l Jan. 31, 1933. c. E. L. LIPMAN REFRIGERATING APPARATUS Filed March s. 1926 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 W @u @7 d 7% i u 'Il m w n W n w Z J 7 X J :@HLJ -i m. .o -------i pm.

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' ZwezzZor' @MEL Patented Jan. 31, 1933 UNITED STATES PATENT ori-ica CARL E. L. LIMAN, OF .'BELOIT, WISCONSIN, ASSIGNOR TO LIPMAN PATENTS CORPORATION, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF DELAWARE REFBIGERATING APPARATUS Application filed March 6, 1926. Serial No. 92,704.

This invention relates in general to mechanical refrigerating apparatus and while the principles thereof may be utilized in apparatus of various sizes and characters designed for man ur osesm invention ar' ticularly is adapted for small refrigerating installations adapted to'be used in homes and commonly known as household refrigerators. lo

for use in houses and apartments is rapidly increasing, but one of the deterrent factors of the household refrigerator business has been theservicing expense. Dealers in household refrigerators have been obliged to maintain a service department consisting of highly trained and skilled men capable of not only repairing refrigerating apparatus but of diagnosing the troubles which arise in connection with apparatus of this character. This servicing expense must eventually be borne bythe householder either in the increased price which heinitially pays for his refrigerating apparatus or as an upkeep expense during the operation of the apparatus.

One of the primary purposes of myfpresent invention is to eliminate the burdensome servicing cost which has heretofore been an inherent factor of household refrigerationl and to relieve the dealer entirely of the necessity of maintaining the service department or even men skilled in the art of refrigeration. With this end in view my invention contemplates the provision of a refrigerating unit which iscompletely assembled at the factory and may be shipped and handled as any other commodity or article ofmerchandise might be, this unit as a wholebeing 40 adapted to be inserted in arefrigerator cabinet and be put in service by simply connect- 'ing the cabinet up with an electric circuit. Should the apparatus fail to work for any reason or should it become worn s0 as to require repairs the householder needs simply to withdraw the unit from his cabinet and exchange it with his dealer for another unit which may be slipped into the cabinet to replace the fault;7 one. This exchange requires no skilled labor whatsoever and can The demand for household refrigerators` be eected -in a few moments. The dealer, instead of attempting to diagnose the troub le with the defect-ive unit and repair it, slmply ships the unit intact back to the factory where the repairs can be quickly and economically made by skilled repairmen. The unit may then be reshipped tothe same or another dealer to be reinstalled when occas1o n requires. The dealer, therefore, by keeping on hand a few extra units is always o 1n a position to keep his customers supplied w1th refrigeration and is relieved of the necessity of a service department or of skilled labor, thereby greatly reducing not only the lnitial cost of a refrigerating installation but also the maintenance cost.

While my invention is not restricted to any particular type of refrigerating apparatus and contemplates the employment of apparatus of the compressor type, the ab- 7 sorption type or the adsorption type, I have for purposes ofillustration merely shown and described herein a simple system of the compressor type as illustrative of the general principles ofmy invention. Y My invention and many of its inherent advantages in addition to those above mentioned should be readily appreciated as the same becomes better understood by reference t0 the following description when considered with the accompanying drawings.

Referring to the drawings:

Fig. l is a front elevation of a refrigerating cabinet equipped with my invention, a portion of the cabinet being rem'oved to more clearly illustrate the inclosed apparatus.

Fig. 2 is a sectional view taken substantially on the line 2 2 of Fig. 1,

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of my novel unit removed from the cabinet,

Fig. 4 is a front elevation of a modified type of cabinet, and Fig. 5 is a sectional view taken on the line 5--5 of Fig. 4. 95

Referring now to the drawings more detail reference character 5 indicates generally a refrigerating cabinet of any approved type preferably including in its construction, asis customary, suitable heat insulating material which contributes to the efficiency of tho cabinet. y

The cabinet may be equipped with the usual shelves and partitions to facilitate the storage of perishable products and in the form herein illustrated it is provided in its upper portion with horizontally extending cleats or members 6 forming guide-ways 7 for the reception of a support or partition wall 8 including in its construction suitable heat insulating material. lVhilc in the particnlar cabinet disclosed the guide-ways are horizontally disposed to support the partition in a horizontal position, it should be understood that the guide-ways may be positioned to receive and sustain the partition wall in a vertical position without in any Way departing from the spirit of my invention.

The partition or supporting Wall 8 constitutes one of the elements of my refrigerating unit which is removable as a whole and intact from the cabinet and replaceable by a similar unit when desired. The unit comprises, therefore, this supporting wall and a complete refrigerating system, preferably of the closed refrigerant circuit type carried by and removable with the wall. This wall when in place divides the cabinet into two compartments, one of which indicated by reference character 9 is the food compartment or chamber and the other of which indicated by 11 constitutes what may be termed the machinery compartment or compressing and condensing chamber. It should be un- 'derstood by the term compressing and condensing I do not intend to limit the apparatus employed to. compression type, but that the term compressing and condensing is employed generically to include both the absorption and adsorption type,-a still,'or any other apparatus which serves to generate the refrigerating action through the intermediary of a suitable refrigerating medium.

The refrigerating system, as previously stated, is carried by and removable With'the Wall 8 and the system shown herein for illustrative purposes merely comprises a motor and compressor 12 and a condenser 13 constituting broadly the apparatus included in the high pressure or condensing side of the system and an expansion valve or float chamber 14 through which the refrigerant is admitted to the expansion chalnber 15 if the apparatus be of the flooded type or to coils if the system be of the'eXpansion valve type. The refrigerating element 15, either a receptacle or coils as previously stated, is connected with the compressor 12 through the return line 16, asis customary. The refrig- -erating element 15 surrounds suitable compartments 17 adapted to receive the ice trays 18 in which ice is' produced in a well known manner. If desired these compartments may be surrounded or immersed in brine or like material.

It will be apparent that the heat dissipating apparatus comprising the high pressure or condensing side of the system is located on one side of the supporting Wall 8 in the compartment 1l, while the refrigerating element constituting the low pressure or evaporating side of the apparatus is located on the opposite side of the supporting walls 8 and in communication with the perishable product storage chamber of the cabinet where refrigeration is desired. To facilitate air circulation in the storage chamber, baffles 19 may be arranged adjacent the refrigerating element as illustrated in the drawings, these baiiles being carried preferably by the cabinet or by Ithe supporting Wall 8 if found more expedient.

The refrigerating system may be either water cooled or air cooled and if Water cooled a slip connection may be provided through which the cooling apparatus may be connected with the water system by the inserting of the removable unit into the cabinet. In the present instance, I have illustrated an air cooled system and for the purpose of obtaining the requisite cooling I have mounted upon the wall 8 near one side thereof and Within the chamber 11 an electric or blower fan 21 which blows air through the condensing coils 13 and around the compressor 12, which for purposes of efciency may be equipped with radiating fins 22. The side Walls of the cabinet are provided with air inlet and outlet openings preferably equipped with louvers.

A'thermostat 24 of usual construction may be located at any desirable point in thestorage chamber for controlling the operation of the refrigerating apparatus.

In the electrically operated air cooled sysstemherein illustrated wherein the fan and i the electrical motor 21 for operating the fan is entirely independent of the motor 12 for operating the compressor.

By virtue of this arrangement the compressor and compressor motor can be entirely sealed Without a motor connection for drivv ing the fan which would involve the troublesome stufiing boX problem. Moreover, in the aggregate, less-current is employed by this arrangement, and furthermore there is no stulling box load occasioned by the mounting of the fan on the compressing motor which necessitates a higher starting torque. While I have disclosed the separate motors for operating the fan and compressor, respectively, as being connected in series, yet in actual practice it is probably preferable to connect the ysame in parallel.

It will be apparent from the foregoing that I have provided a refrigerating unit which is skilled inthis art and it may then be rein' stalled for further use. t

lVhile the partition wall 8 may alone be relied upon to sealthe generator chamber 11 from the storage chamber, I prefer, for purposes of eficiency, to make this seal more effective by providing an auxiliary sealing wall 27 which may be and preferably is a part of the unit as a whole. This wall incorporating in its construction heat insulating material, is secured to the front edge of the supporting wall 8 and when the unit is positioned within the cabinet the margins of this wall abut against cleats 28 arranged within' the cabinet, as shown in 'the drawings. When the unit is in place, therefore the generating chamber 11 is effectually sealed from the storage chamber 9 and the opening of the cabinet door 29 does not permit the iiow of warm air from the generating chamber downwardly into the storage chamber to reduce the eff ciency of the installation. Preferably also, this wall extends downwardly to a point be" low the refrigerating element 15 so that warm air from the outside does not strike this element when the cabinet door is opened.

While in Figs. 1 and 2, I have shown a b door 29 which completely closes the refrigerating unit and the storage compartment of the refrigerator, I do not limit myself to this particular mode of housing the said parts, and in this connection I refer to Figs. Ltand 5 wherein I have shown the storage compartment vsealed with a door 31V having the usual hinges 32 and latch 33, and this door has a portion which overlaps the front wall or partition of the refrigerator to eectually seal.the said compartment. The refrigerate ing unit and its parts which have been def4 scribed yare mounted in precisely the same manner as-those shown 1n Flgs. 1 and 2, ex-

cept that the auxiliary sealing wall 27 is made to fit Hush with the front wall or partition of the `refrigerator proper and is pro-y vided on the outer side thereof with a mem-l ber 34 which has flanges 35 for fitting over and around the opening into which the said sealing wallis adapted to lit. In such cases, the small ice tray compartments 18 will be provided with a door 36 which is hinged as at 37 to cover the said compartment, and this door is provided with the usual heat insulating material which can be observed at the point 38, in Fig. 5. By the use of this construction, the large door covering the entire refrigerator is eliminated and one or more small doors may be used for gaining access to the food compartment, while the refrigerating unit may be drawn forward horizontally by grasping the handles 39 in the same manner as the construction shown in Figs. 1 and 2, except that the door 29 will be eliminated and -the entire cabinet will not be opened to the atmosphere when it is desired togain access to any particular part of the interior.

The construction, operation, and many of the inherent advantages of my invention should be apparent from the foregoing without further description and while I have shown and described a preferred embodiment, obviously the details of construction, arrangement of walls and type of apparatus employed may all be varied within wide limits without departing from the essence of my invention as defined in the following claims.

LI claim: d

1. In a refrigerating apparatus the combination of a cabinet provided with guideways intermediate its top and bottom walls, a supportlcomposed of heat insulatin material removably `supported in said gui e-ways and dividing the cabinet into an upper and a lower chamber, a refrigerating apparatus carried by said support and including a compressing means and a condensing means disposed in thc upper chamber and a refrigerating element disposed in the lower chamber, and means cooperating with' said support to seal the upper chamber from the lower cham-` 2. In a refrigerating apparatus the combination of a cabinet, a heat insulating partition wall removably disposed'therein said cabinet having a storage chamber therein- CII means, cooperating with said vpartition wall I to seal said storage chamber from the high pressure side of the apparatus.

3. In a refrigerating apparatus the combinations of a `cabinet, a heat insulating par- -ing the cab-inet into a storage compartment and a compression compartment, a refrigerating apparatus carried by andl removable' with said wall as a unit, said apparatus including a compressor and a condenser on one side of said wall and a refrigerating element on the opposite side of the wall, and means for sealing the compression compartment againstcommunication with the storage compartment.

4. In a refrigerating apparatus, the combination of a cabinet provided with guide ways, a partition wall removablyT disposed in said guide-ways and defining upper and lower chambers, a refrigerating apparatus carried by and removable as a unit from the cabinet with said partition Wall, and an auxiliary Wall adapted to seal communication between said chambers.

5. In a refrigerating apparatus the combination with a cabinet provided with guide- Ways, a partition wall removably disposed in said guideways and defining, when in its inserted position, a plurality of chambers, a refrigerating apparatus carried by and removable as a unit from the cabinet with said partition wall, a fan on said partition Wall for cooling a portion of said refrigerating apparatus and an auxiliary wall adapted to seal communication between said chambers at one side of the partition wall.

6. In a refrigerating apparatus, the combination with a cabinet provided with horizontal guideways, a partition wall horizon-v tally disposed in said guideways and deining a plurality of chambers in said cabinet, a refrigerating apparatus carried by and reparatus carried by and removable as a unit from the cabinet with said partition wall, L relectrically driven fan mounted upon said partition wall and comprising a part of said unit, a storage chamber and an auxiliary wall adapted to seal said storage chamber at one side of said partition wall.

8. In a refrigerating apparatus, the combinati'on of a cabinet provided with guideways, a support removably supported in said guide-ways and dividing the cabinet into a plurality of chambers, a Arefrigerating apparatus carried by the support including a condenser, one of said chambers constituting a storage chamber. and the other ot' said chambersconstituting means for receiving the condenser. e I

9. In a refrigerating apparatus, the com.-

binatien of a cabinet provided with guideways, a support removably supported in said gnide-ways and dividing the cabinet into a plurality of chambers, a refrigerating apparatus carried by the support including a condenser, one of said chambers constituting a storage chamber and the other of said chambers constiuting means for receiving the condenser, and means cooperating with the support to seal communication between, the storage chamber and the means for receiving the condenser.

10. The combination with a refrigerating cabinet, having an opening therein, of a rerigerating unit comprising a support, a mechanical refrigerating apparatus carried by said support and slidably insertible into said cabinet through the opening therein as a unit, said support defining a plurality of chambers, said unit being removable from the cabinet without disturbing the relation of the operative parts of the refrigerating apparatus.

11. The combination with a refrigerating cabinet, of arefrigerating unit comprising a support, a unitary assemblage of refrigerating apparatus carried by said support, an opening in said cabinet, said support When in its inserted position defining a plurality of chambers in the cabinet, said unit and refrigerating apparatus being horizontally removable from the confines of the cabinet without disturbing the operative relationship of the refrigerating apparatus.

12. The combination With a refrigerating cabinet having a removable partition therein dividing said cabinet into upper and lower compartments of a removable, mechanical refrigerating apparatus including a condenser and fan mounted in the upper of said compartments and an evaporating element mounted in the lower of said compartments.

13. The combination with a refrigerating cabinet, having an opening therein, a removable partition Within said cabinet and defining a plurality of compartments, of a removable mechanical refrigerating apparatus including a condenser and cooling fan mounted within the upper of said compartments and secured to one side of said partition, and an evaporating element mounted Within the other of said compartments and secured to and supported by the ,opposite side of said` partition. f v ,f

14. A refrigerator comprising a box-like structure having fixed continuous vertical side walls extending substantially from top to bottom of said structure in the same vertical planes, said structure including an insulated. storage compartment Within said side Walls and a machinery compartment beyond said storage compartment, a removable partition separating said storage Compartment from said machinery compartment, a refrigerating system carried on said partition, said system including an evaporator on one side of said partition and within said storage compartment and a heat dissipating unit on the other side of said partition wall and located within said machine compartment.

15. A refrigerator comprising a box-like structure adapted to receive and contain a, removable refrigerating apparatus andprovided interiorly between the top and bottom thereof with means for supporting said apparatus in position therein, a partition constructed for insertion into and removal fromv said structure and adapted when supported within the structure by said supporting means to separate said structure into a lower storage compartment and an upper machinery compartment, and refrigerating appara. tus carried by said partition, including-an evaporator located on one side of said partition within the storage compartment and a heat dissipating unit located on the other side of said partition within the machinery compartment, said partition and apparatus being removable as a unit from said structure.

16. A refrigerator comprising a cabinet structure provided interiorly with partition wall supporting means, a partition removably carried by said supporting means and dividing said cabinet into upper and lower compartments, a refrigerating apparatus carried by said partition, including an evaporator located below said partition and a heat dissipating unit located above said partition, said partition and the refrigerating i apparatus carried thereby being removable as a unit from said cabinet, and means forming a closure for said cabinet.

17. The combination of a cabinet structure including upright walls, a heat insulatedpartition wall removably supported within said structure and dividing the same into a heat dissipating compartment and a storage compartment, a refrigerating system carried by said wall and removable as annif'` compartment ,being open to the atmosphere Afor the circulation ofthe air therethrough and saidrefrigerating compartment being heat insulated from the surrounding atmosphere, a refrigerating apparatus carried by said partition wall and comprising an evaporator positioned below said wall 1n said refrigerating compartment and a heat dissipating unit positioned above said wall in said machinery compartment, said wall and the refrigerating apparatus carried thereby being removable as a unit from said structure.

In witness of the foregoing I alix my signature.

CARL E. L. LIPMAN.

therewith from said structure, the apparatus comprising the high pressure side of said system being mounted on one face of said wall and disposed within said heat dissipating compartment and the apparatus comprising the low side of said system being mounted on the opposite face of said wall and disposed within said storage compartment, and means for normally closing the cabinet structure opening through which said` unit consisting o the partition wall and the attached'rerigerating systemKare removable. I

18. A refrigerator comprising a box-like structure having fixed vertical side walls, a p rtition wall extending completely across said structure intermediate the top and bottom thereoi and dividing the same into an upper machinery compartment and a lower refrigeratmg compartment, said machinery lloo 

